The Little Shark
by McGeesJabberwock
Summary: A strange retelling of The Little Mermaid. A shark named Derek sees little purpose in his murderous lifestyle, and, after saving a human from drowning, wishes to become human himself. A scientific sea witch grants his wish, but all is not well...
1. Chapter 1

_'God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred.'  
__**Frankenstein, Mary Shelley**_

_When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark,_  
_And will talk in contemptuous tones of the Shark:_  
_But, when the tide rises and sharks are around,_  
_His voice has a timid and tremulous sound.'_  
_**Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll**_

The ocean. A beautiful, magnificent place. Nothing can compare with the sun's rays shining through the rippling waters, the multitude of fish making their way through the waters and the host of plants that grow on the ocean bed. The mere sight of this place could inspire many to write poetry and stories based upon the foundation of beauty. With it's many perfect residents and its myriad plant-life, nothing could ruin the splendid perfection that is the sea.

Well, nothing except me, that is.

Oh, hello name's Derek and...and...

I'm a shark.

I am.

But I am still asking myself:

Why?

I'll never forgive myself for what happened today. Once again, I smelled more blood from a lesser being; a baby fish. He was looking for his mother too. The scent of his blood overpowered my sympathy. I tried my best to resist it, I tried to control my cravings but...but I couldn't. I just couldn't. I pursued the prey throughout the ocean, until I finally led it to its doom. After the deed was done, I couldn't help but imagine how its mother would feel if it knew what I did. She would hear the news, stare in shocked silence, and just weep. That fish could've grown up. It should've grown up, become more beautiful and could have fed a hungry family.

Are my species nothing more than greedy vicious predators, who rip apart their prey at every chance they get? Are we destined to kill thousands of ocean life and endanger hundreds of species of fish for the rest of our meaningless lives? Have we no purpose other than to strike fear into the hearts of others and eat whatever we see?

Of course I know that some of us are eaten for food, and that probably counts for something since we may be helping a starving family and such. I try to keep that thought in my head during moments like these, but all it means is that I'm only beneficial when I'm dead.

Why can't I be a rabbit? Humans eat rabbits, but they also **LOVE** them. Rabbits are cute and fuzzy and bounce and are snuggly. They don't have fangs, or dead eyes or anything like that.

Humans show no **LOVE** or respect for my kind. Instead we are seen as an affront to humanity and all it stands for. We are portrayed as cold, bloodthirsty killers, nothing more than wretched villains whose deaths are celebrated. Why would an entire species be created, just to be hated and despised throughout the world? Are we supposed to perform these barbaric acts that make people think of us as nothing more than wretched, twisted monsters?

I have spent days maneuvering around vast waters, trying to figure out these puzzles I challenge myself with. Why can't I just break free of these chains which are holding me and others of my kind? Why isn't there something that could cause us to be respected, meek and peaceful, like so many other animals which are **LOVED**, so I can finally be free of these emotions swirling around in my head like a whirlpool?

Love. The word burns in my mind. The only thing I can think of that burns underwater. Many people would **LOVE** to hear that word but all it does to me is consume my soul as it summons hundreds of recurring memories.

Every time I escape from a savage human that merely wishes to see me destroyed with some weapon of murder, **LOVE** comes to mind. Where is my **LOVE**? Does anyone give me any of their** LOVE**? Or is it reserved for people who DESERVE it? What do I deserve? A lifetime of hate and fear? Being shunned away? Living life as an ugly greedy beast who gives into temptation so easily?

I've tried to talk about this to others of my species. I say something like 'Do you ever wonder what our purpose in this world is?' or 'Do you ever think about love?' and I get whacked in the face with a tail, with the cries of 'What are you talking about?' or 'Don't be such a pussy.'

It appears that others of my species enjoy this senseless violence, not caring about the lives of the prey they devour, nor do they consider why we sharks were put on this earth to begin with.

I remember one time I tried to mate. I met a shark named Acacia. Since she seemed quite interested in me, I tried to talk to her about my feelings. She continually told me to 'lighten up' and tried to persuade me that killing was fun and was our main priority. I knew it wouldn't work out.

Sure, leave me lonely. That's just swell. Perfect.

Did my own parents give me any** LOVE**? No, not even they did. Sharks don't have happy families. Sharks don't have LOVING parents, giving LOVE to their children. Shark parents just want their offspring to go out into the world on their own, killing and eating everything they can. I was abandoned by my own parents, a sign that I was destined to be alone, without LOVE.

My kind are hated, despised and scorned by the rest of the ocean. I am a ferocious boogeyman monster, spreading fear and trepidation. As I watch the 'cute little fishies' that you humans LOVE over sharks swim away in terror, with screams of 'AARGH! A SHARK!', I...I envy them.

Why can't I be like they are? Why can't I be small and helpless rather than a monstrous predator? I would rather be small, innocent and helpless, being treated with hatred as if I was some sort of demon. My species have great power, which I would give up to be meek and helpless like my prey.

Why in the world was I born? Who was compelled to create a savage beast like me? The same person who created those cute little fish? Was I made by some twisted evil force who had plans to ruin a otherwise perfect world? Whoever created me and my species must have had no love for us, especially me, if I was going to live with these thoughts and ponderings. Maybe I was just trapped in the wrong body. Did something cast a spell on me to make me this way forever? Is the only reason I think these things is because some sadistic creature enjoys my suffering?

So many unanswered questions lingering in my mind, my mind probably being the only one containing such questions, and these questions will probably never be answered. Will I ever answer these questions, or am I just going to spend the rest of my existence pondering about my existence?

_Forget it, just live with it._

Oh, I forgot to tell you about _him_, didn't I?

_You're a shark, deal with it._

No, no.

_Go get your dinner, you must be hungry._

No, no, shut up.

_Sharks must kill to eat, you know._

Shut up! Shut up!

_KILL KILL __**KILL**_

SHUT UP!

SHUT UP SHUT UP **SHUT UP!**

The strongest burden that comes with just being a shark is the voice that echoes within you, the voice that is impossible to resist, the voice that speaks when I sniff out my lesser prey, and think about the purpose of my existence and LOVE. This side of me comes out when I smell my prey's blood, even at a long distance, that is when others see the side I don't want them to see, my monstrous, ruthless, uncaring alter ego. When people think of me, they think of _him. _I'm not the killer,_ he_ is.

Maybe someday I will accept the fact that I am meant to be a shark, and always will be and I might as well go along with the crowd. It's not like anything's going to change what I am, what I was destined to be...

Or perhaps I'm just to spend my life wondering about why I was put on this wretched earth and why I never get any LOVE until the day I die.

I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't.


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen awoke, tearing her head away from the notes and half-finished knick-knacks that surrounded her in her slumber. The dream she had just experienced still in her brain, she told herself to keep it in there. She had had those dreams every night – the body dissolving into foam, the glimmering of the knife – and while she had awoken from them clutching her body and shuddering, she knew that they entered her mind for a reason. They weren't just dreams – they were mistakes that were actually made, memories crafted by a failure, things that needed to be fixed.

Everybody has a purpose in life. Some are meant to do great things, some are meant to expand on those great things, some are meant to be utter idiots to make those who do great things look even better. Gwen was born into a special way of life, and was born with a hunger for knowledge. Certainly she would not have those two qualities if she was not meant to improve the former with the latter. Improve she would, for she had something so few of her profession, her species had. An array of machinery, potions and stuff like that. Science. Science was the future. Magic and witchcraft are all well and good, but some would find it old hat. Unreliable. Science can do anything though.

As Gwen reminded herself of her modus operandi in hopes of diminishing her procrastination, a whirring caught her gigantic ears, and there she saw her little eel Samson, atop his little mechanical legs, connected to a device allowing him to survive on dry land. Good old Samson. The guy was like a good luck charm to her, a reminder of her past achievements. If she can do something like that once, she could do it again. What better time to think that than when continuing her greatest project?

How long had she told the council that everything her kind could do with witchcraft could be replicated with machinery? Their magic was a finite one, only able to work on certain days, or for a certain period of time. Science always worked. Imagine if one could only watch TV or use the microwave one day a year! Society would crumble in seconds. No, if their trade was to be respected – they were always nattering about how no-one respects them anymore and blah blah whine whine – they had to advance.

On certain days of the year – on full moons, was it? – a sea-witch could read her clients' emotions with a firm enough stare. One of Gwen's finest accomplishments - a helmet that could allow one to do the same thing any time one wanted. Oh yes, there was scoffing. 'It looks like a dead crab' they said, 'Is this a joke?' What had kept her working on it was the mental image of her laughing at those doubters, while they hung their heads in shame. 'How could we have doubted Gwen?' they would say, 'What a genius she is.'

And that dream came true, didn't it? The former naysayers may not have used those exact words, but Gwen had pretended they did, and the response was positive anyway. She wasn't wearing the helmet at the time, but she knew what they were all pondering when her demonstration was over. 'That Gwen and her inventions were amazing. However could she top it?'

Simple. Simple people. Simple answer.

What is the most famous quality of a sea witch? What has been the spell people associate with us? A spell that once could only be done once a year, but, thanks to her, could be done any time one felt like it?

Humanity. Humanity to sea-life.

Just like in her dreams.

Samson whirred again as he approached his mistress. As she took out a little treat from her skirt pocket, she took a look at the eel and wondered why he never spoke. Her kind could communicate with just about any marine life, so why was Samson usually so silent? Had he something to hide? Everybody did, but it was interesting to think what secrets her little fishy friends might have to offer her. After Samson munched his tiny pellets, another of Gwen's creations, Gwen stared into the black eyes of the little creature and wondered what he would look like as a human. More importantly, what would he do? He was happy being an eel though, no need to use him as a test-subject.

As Samson wondered off for some amusement of his own, Gwen turned back to her notes, chortling at herself for procrastinating so much. She almost felt like a university student cramming for that exam. Her webbed fingers wrapped around several sheets of paper, and she held them in front of her as if she was going to read the news. No time for sleeping now, got to check your notes.

Yes. Yes.

After all these years, she knew she was going to crack it soon. A machine, a titan towering above her and everyone else, that could turn any fish into a human being. Fins and scales and gills would vanish, arms and legs and fingers and toes would appear. It would walk on land, surrounded not by the briny blue or wobbling plants, but by buildings, and other scientific wonders. The metamorphosis may still leave them mortal, but at least they would not have a death as humiliating as being on the end of a hook.

Did the council know about it? Yes, Gwen had told them. Not just them though. Knowing what an achievement this was, she had let it slip out to the human world itself. She had read their newspapers, and she knew that was the type of news they enjoyed digesting. And there had even been some controversy – a favourite word among scientists. That controversy had come from those claiming it was unethical, that it didn't respect the poor animals. Giving them a taste of a more sophisticated lifestyle wasn't respect? If only they could talk to fish.

There had been some support though. Plenty of support. Fellow scientists, human scientists had backed her, noting that her experiments could aid in exploring the animal mind. Gwen had made sure that the machine would expand a creature's mind to understand the most basic things of a human life, including speech. Oh, if only our pets could speak to us, say people. Just you wait and see.

She had also gained some support from the military. They were looking for ways to get more recruits, and they thought fish had the right mindset for a soldier.

Putting down her notes, Gwen looked towards her nearly-finished device, and stared at it in thought. It would be completed soon, but already Gwen could see small nippers inflating into men. She knew she had to complete her notes before physical construction of the machine could continue, but Gwen still stared at her green, scaly form reflected in the glass. Procrastination, but a good procrastination. It helped her get her thoughts in order, to wake herself up. And she needed clear, logical thoughts. She needed to be awake.

She needed to do this.


	3. Chapter 3

'Another day,' was the first thing I thought this morning; an odd thing to think, since days usually don't tend to begin for me. It always seems like one big day, only things tend to get darker sometimes. Still, acknowledging days exist may help me get organised, and my brain certainly needs organisation. So many thoughts, and I never put them in order, even if I have all the time in the world. Then again, I suppose it's easy for one's mind to get jumbled when he has to share it with someone rather vocal. Maybe I should stop thinking altogether.

As I noticed what the sun was heralding, I noticed a low gurgling in my stomach. Breakfast. Isn't that what humans call it? I can't remember where I heard it, but I think it's correct. And breakfast is all around me.

_Indeed._

Eating defenceless fish is all I'm good for. I'm meant to be nothing but a fearsome predator. Well, if that's my lot in life, I better well embrace it, I guess. There's nothing I can do to change it, so why not just go along with it? I'll be happier, and maybe he will be quieter in the future.

Perusing through the ocean, I come across a particularly nice looking fish, with silver scales shimmering in the sunlight. _Nice choice._ His back is turned to me. Good. Slowly I swim towards him, my shadow enveloping him to eliminate his shimmer. I open my jaws, my rows of fangs exposed. That fish will have the honour of seeing those lovely choppers first hand and – what am I even thinking?

He is a fish. Fish don't have minds; he's nothing but food for me.

Just eat him.

Your mouth is open. Now close it.

There you go.

Just close...

He noticed me. Then he rapidly swam away before I could devour him. Maybe he just wasn't worth...

_You idiot! You aren't going to let him get away, are you?_

What choice do I have?

I could still see him, flapping his tail. His back may have been turned, but I knew he had a smug little grin on his face. He escaped a shark. He's a hero. As if my species doesn't get insulted enough. I burst through schools of guppies, zoomed past the rippling plants, my eyes set on that miniature meal. He knows I'm following him, so he tries to swim faster, faster, but it isn't going to last. I have more energy than he does, he doesn't stand a chance. They never stand a chance. I've caught his brethren without trying. What can he do?

Another set of jaws.

More rows of teeth.

The fish got eaten, but not by me. Another shark, another Great White had swam by and had munched the little nipper, a triumphant grin beaming in my face. A reminder of what I am, and what I am not. Well, maybe I'll try...wait...those eyes. Is it? It is.

'Acacia?'

That champion grin shrinks as her eyes bulge. 'Derek.'

'Small world.'

'Yes.' A few seconds of us swimming in silence, and Acacia departed, leaving me alone.

_Go after her._

Instantly, I did as he requested, swimming by her side. She seemed to cringe upon seeing me, so I smiled in hopes that she would do the same.

'Hello,' I said.

'Oh, hello, Derek,' she said, rolling her eyes, 'I'm busy today, so don't expect to get any sympathy from me.'

I looked up at the sun's reflection in the water for a while before answering. 'I don't want sympathy.'

'Oh really?' She turned her head towards me, one eye larger than the other. 'You're not going to whinge at me about how killing is bad and we should all be depressed for doing it?'

'No. I realise that I was put in this ocean for a reason, and I should just do what I was born to do.' She still had that look on her face. 'By that, I mean hunting...'

'Good,' she replied, her face still frozen in that grimace. We swam side by side for a little while longer before she pierced the silence with a 'Well?'

'Well what?'

'Well, don't you have hunting to do?'

'It's just...'I stare at the sun again. 'We haven't seen each other in a while...'

'I know.'

'So...'

Before I could say anymore, Acacia floated away from me, scoffing slightly. I watched her for a little while, then began to set off on my own way.

_Nice going there._

Why didn't she smile? I remember being with her, and every time I saw her, she had a huge grin on her face. Always. She smiled when she talked to me. She smiled when I spoke about my doubts. She smiled when having a go at me. Now she isn't smiling and I'm not sure what to think about that. Maybe I should smile more.

Perhaps I was meant to meet her today. Perhaps I've changed as a result of seeing her again. Yes. I doubt my species no more. I am a shark, that's what I was born to do, that's what I was born to be. Time for breakfast.

Here fishie fishie.

Just like that, a fish swims past me. A small fish. Defenceless...innocent. I must eat him.

_Yes._

Chomp.

There we go. In one bite, I, Derek the shark, just devoured that fish. He's gone now. I did him in. I ended his small, insignificant life.

I should smile. So I do.

* * *

I was once again performing my nightly routine of manoeuvring around the waters, waiting for the light to come. As I swam, I thought back to all those moments of pitying myself. I can't believe I had lived so many years with those thoughts in my head without going crazy. I actually think I had contemplated suicide at times. What good would that do? It would just prove that I was worthless, and I didn't want to be worthless.

It was really stormy that night, so I viewed the high waves collapsing and lightning illuminating the air. These were the types of nights I would usually enjoy, as there was something about the rapid movement of the waves and ocean that gave me that extra bit of energy. As I heard the rumbles and the splashing, I cartwheeled around the ocean, chuckling to myself as I did so.

That night, I was fairly surprised to see more of my species circling around, cheering and crying out in excitement. They usually do this when a disaster occurs, which they seem to think of as an entertaining spectacle. Us sharks have to keep moving to survive, so they couldn't just keep stationary.

Slowly I swam towards them, my face beaming. 'What's all the excitement?'

'Oh, HIM! Perfect!' groaned one of the "crowd", 'If you MUST know, Derek, we're watching that ship up there.'

'Why?'

The shark rolled his eyes. 'Because the humans are going to drown, why else?'

I decided I would get a closer look at this spectacle, so I slightly raised my head above the ocean, making sure my gills were still in the water. I even noticed some other shark heads peeping up out of the sea with me. Of course, I moved back and forth to prevent suffocation.

With lightning as illumination, I saw the humans scatter on their ship. It rocked back and forth as the waves crashed against its surface, while the passengers ran to the lifeboats in hopes of fleeing the terror. The humans rowed faster than a cosmopolitan sailfish, escaping the ship, under attack by the vengeful storm monster.

But what caught my eye was not the storm, but the fact I could make out very clearly, a person falling off the ship into the deadly sea. The storm laughed at this human's predicament, but I pondered on what to do with this person. Should I save it?

_Don't bother._

I now decided to seize this chance, as it was the one I had been waiting for! If I were to save this unfortunate person, I would have done something good, so maybe it would invalidate the 'Sharks are evil' rule, and I might even gain some...**LOVE**.

I darted under the water, my eyes fixed on the drowning figure. The other sharks had their eyes fixed on the prey, but I swam faster than they even attempted to and grabbed the person with my finned back. As I emerged to the surface, only my famous fin visible, the person started coming to, and held onto my fin, as I quickly searched for land.

'What in the name of...' the person started muttering. The voice was female.

_**STOP THIS.**_

Why should I be helping her? She probably feels no **LOVE** for sharks like me. Why should I show her **LOVE**? Maybe I should just let her die _DIE DIE __**DIE**__!_

No! This underhanded voice was the very thing I was trying to defeat. I was going to be this human's salvation! Never again will she think of sharks as bloodthirsty murderers of the deep! She will live to tell the tale of my deed!

'Jenny!'

I held a male voice cry out into the darkness as the female on my back held onto my fin. Soon, I began to feel the woman being lifted off my back, which made me assume she had found another form of salvation. I lifted my head out of the ocean once again and actually saw the woman, Jenny, I assumed, in person, sitting in a lifeboat.

She was quite tall, with black hair tied into a 'ponytail' (human lingo I remember hearing from somewhere) . She wore a light blue garment, something I heard was called a 'dress' without any coverings for the arms.

Next to Jenny was an elderly man. This character had completely white hair, with large eyebrows that almost seemed to meet and circular glasses. He donned a yellow, sleeve-less 'shirt' and purple leg coverings that only covered the top half of his legs.

While I was admiring the two people, Jenny turned around in my direction, causing me to dive back into the sea. I circled the boat from underneath, listening to what they had to say.

'Thank you, Grandpa!' Jenny spoke, smiling, wrapping her arms around the elderly human.

'Jenny, my girl,' the grandpa chuckled with joy, 'I thought I was going to lose you.'

'I thought I was a goner too.' Jenny admitted.

**LOVE.**

'That,' Jenny continued, 'that shark saved my life.'

'What are you talking about?' the grandpa replied.

'I was on the back of a shark. I felt like I was drowning at first, but then I began rising out of the water. Next thing I knew I saw that shark's fin. It was pretty weird.'

At least ONE person appreciates me.

But then, did grandpa believe her? No, he didn't. He reminded Jenny about how evil sharks are and about the fact that they are nasty man-eating carnivores. He used terms like 'swallow you whole', 'wicked beasts' and even 'soulless killers'.

I wanted to disagree but how could I?

I pulled my head out of the water and followed these two as they rowed back to the shore. I heard them discuss about how happy they were to see each other, especially after they both thought one was going to die. They returned to a dock near a lush sandy beach, where they departed, my eyes fixed on the female every second.

'What an idiot,' I heard behind me. I swam beneath the waves again, coming across more of my kind, their eyes angrily boring into me.

_This is what happens,Derek..._

'How could you?' groaned a shark, shaking his 'head', 'You saved a human. SAVED her. You should have let her die. Humans...humans suck.'

'But I...I just wanted to help.' I replied, 'What makes you think humans suck anyway?'

There was no reply.

'If you were human Derek, I'd have let you drown,' grumbled another shark, 'You shame us all.' At that, they swam away.

_You shame us all._

Maybe they were right. How can LOVE ever emerge from a source of hate like a shark? Sharks and humans were sworn enemies, they could never live in harmony with each other. Humans could perform such tasks as discover scientific breakthroughs, help people and teach. I was supposed to be a killer.

But for some reason, I can't get this human off my mind. Her image is in my mind and I can't get rid of it. I keep imagining her accepting me. I would talk to her about how I felt about my existence, and she would take heed to every word I say, and she would give me comfort and how much she **LOVED** me even though nobody else would. She would be like the **LOVING** family I never had. I would experience happiness for the first time.

_Humans only care about themselves, Derek. Don't dwell on them._

Not **YOU** again.

_You're not human. You're a shark. Deal with it._

Did I actually WANT to be human? Was I envious of everything humans had? Hair, clothes, arms, legs...

Purpose?

Sharks have no purpose other than to kill everything in sight. Humans actually have a real purpose. To help others, to make the world a better place. Of course, many seem to think the slaughter, or should I say martyr, of sharks would help the environment and the world people live in. I probably agreed with them. I had escaped death hundreds of times, but did anyone care that people wanted to kill me? No. I even remember my fellow sharks cheering at one of my near-death experiences. They wanted me dead too. No more Derek and his madcap thoughts. That would be heaven.

That's how it is. I'm little more than lonely and isolated, with only my regrets and laments to accompany me. Nobody would go up to me and ask, 'Hey Derek, how are things?' or 'How are you today?' nor would they ask me about my feelings. If I had a companion like Jenny, and if she were as kind to me as she was to her grandfather, I'd never have to worry about anything ever again.

Never in my entire lifetime would I gain humanity, nor would I gain the slightest ounce of happiness. I would never get to do what humans would; never would I step on land, never would I feel the breeze of cool wind in my face as I walk down the road admiring the scenery, never would I meet...her. I would spend my entire 25 year lifespan in misery, until the day I die. I wanted to cry, but I'm an animal: my eyes shed no tears.

_Wimp._

Who asked you?

Hundreds of thoughts racing through my head at time, tearing me to pieces. I could think about these things for hours, and I have thought similar things for days but one thing will still be clear:

I will never live happily ever after.


	4. Chapter 4

Having recovered from her almost-drowning, Jenny had spent her time at home just lying on the sofa, the television blaring in the background. She didn't watch whatever was on – what there was was pretty much terrible – but she thought it would be the best way to forget the fact she had her own near-death experience. Even when her fellow classmates had tried to comfort her, asking her incessantly if she was alright, she had ignored them. She was just supposed to be a normal young woman – normal young women don't get drowned or saved by sharks.

A shark. That's what it was and that's what it had to be. The whole thing had gone by so quickly that Jenny could barely remember any specific details. She remembered being thrown into the water, yet strangely, she couldn't remember struggling to swim or water filling her lungs or anything like that. Well, she remembered the shape approaching her, rumbling as it did so, and she remembered thinking that it was the Grim Reaper. In retrospect, that theory may not be out of the question. She opened her eyes, washing away the saltwater with the weird taste that had latched onto her to tongue, and saw herself riding the shark.

Was it a shark, she had thought upon coming to, attempting to clear her gut of the ocean. The shark was her first guess, but she instantly exchanged it for guessing that it was a dolphin. Those things are supposed to be smart and help people, and the mental image of her leaping into the air on the back of one of those things amused her. Her saviour did not leap into the air, though, and looking down, she could see the teeth bared, the beady eyes, the pointed form. But what else would be able to save her?

When she was younger, she had loved sharks. Some kids loved ponies, some loved princesses, but she liked sharks and dinosaurs and toothed things, her own little sign of non-conformity. Every trip to the seaside would involve her paddling in the water, looking for the little buggers. Mum kept telling her that sharks rarely actually bother human beings, but she took that as just another attempt at spoiling fun. One of those trips had even ended with Mum buying Jenny a plush toy of a large yellow shark, a relic now spending its days relaxing in the cupboard.

So would Jenny's guardian angel take on the form of a shark, just because of who she was as a child? She wasn't that child anymore, at least she didn't believe she was. Still, there was nothing else she was particularly interested in at the moment, so a shark angel was as good as any. Did she tell people that she had been saved by a shark? She had considered it, just to see how people would react to it, but decided against it. It was ludicrous enough to be unbelievable, but not enough to make people want to believe it. Had she been saved by a robot, she would have told straight away, but sharks are boring nowadays.

Then again, life itself was boring, and it was boring for a good reason. When life wasn't boring, stuff like that happened, and nobody wanted stuff like that to happen. In her school, she had to listen to those who wanted more from life; fame, money, attention from several members of the opposite sex. She was fine with what she had. Sure, she was working towards getting a career, but she still believed her school days were the best days of her life and all that stuff. She may have recently turned eighteen, with university just around the corner, but feeling like a child, at times, helped to relax her.

Almost drowning should have matured her, shouldn't it?

It was that contentment for normalcy that made her not want to go into school that day. Normal kids cut class all the time, don't they? It's not like they'll miss her anyway, especially when there's something worth missing.

Gwen Wickiton.

* * *

The days after I met Jenny have been quieter than usual. When I go about my usual swim, I see less fish, less sharks, less creatures. Oh sure, there are still a few things out and about, and I even munch on them, because, what else can I do with them? Still, things have been so silent. I hear nothing except the rumbling of the ocean in the background. Even that voice in my head has learned to shut up.

Silence is something new, and I've been wanting something new. Well, if I got my wish, I might as well embrace it.

I wonder what's going on up there.

Just as I was beginning to tire of listening to nothing but that rumbling, who should appear but Acacia, her eyes darting back and forth as she approached. She's been searching for me, I know it. I swallow.

'Hello, Acacia!' I give her the same smile she used to give me. Her face remained frozen. 'What brings you here?'

'Just looking for my lunch,' she said, swerving away from me, 'It's what I do.'

'Is it me,' I said as I swam next to her, 'or have things been quiet lately?'

'It's just you.' She shook her head, or what constituted for one. 'It's just your odd little mind.' She turned to face me before turning away as if swimming away, then turned to face me again. 'Why did you save that human?'

My eyes bulged. 'Why do you want to know?'

'I just want to know, that's all.'

'Well, I don't really know why I did it...really...'

'Well, I don't think you should have done it,' she said, that certain smile of hers beginning to form. 'Your reputation is bad enough.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' I replied, a new energy overcoming me.

'You know we don't care about humans, Derek. They're just a waste of space, really. And they hog all the good meals.'

'Have you ever seen a human?'

'I've seen several. I've heard them talk about their human affairs and all their crap. Apparently they like staring at a 'television' for hours while we're actually doing something productive. I wouldn't bother with them.'

'I don't think Jenny...'

'Jenny?' She turned to me with one eye enlarged. 'You know her name?'

'Yes. I...I...'

That smile of hers returned once again, and with it followed a long, boisterous laugh. 'You aren't serious.'

'What? I know her name, what's...'

'You love her.'

That statement rendered my throat dry, leaving me unable to respond for a while, except with a slight wheeze.

'You actually love her,' she continued, alternating between chuckling and growling, 'That is...I don't know what it is. I mean, I knew there was something wrong...'

'There's nothing wrong with me!'

She laughed again, not a large laugh, just a teeny little snigger. 'Oh, just listen to you. You sound like some moody teenager. Grow up.'

I noticed her pace increasing, and something (maybe _him_) told me I should leave, but still I followed her. 'I don't love her.'

The minute I said that, Acacia turned to me with that frozen face. 'Do you want to be human?'

'What if I do?'

'Why would you want to?'

'Well...' I noticed her pace beginning to lessen, which gave me the slightest sense of relief. 'From what I've heard, there's more to do as a human...'

'And there's plenty of things to do down here too.'

'What do we really do? Just swim around, eating occasionally?'

'Humans just _lie_ around, eating occasionally.'

'No...' I stared at my fins at that moment, the little stubs meant only to propel me. 'Their...their bodies can do more...' Acacia let loose another laugh. 'They have hands...'

'Oh yes,' said Acacia, 'I know what you'd do if you had hands.'

'What does that mean?'

'Nothing.'

I sighed, creating bubbles that languidly floated up to the surface. 'I'm not going to convince you, am I?'

That smile came back. 'That is probably the smartest thing you've ever said.'

I chuckled a bit at that remark, and even tried to replicate her own special smile. It hurt my face. 'Okay, I guess I should just go now.'

'Don't be like that, Derek,' said Acacia, nearing me. 'I'll be here when you need me.'

'Really?'

'Of course,' she said, her expression being a mixture of her smile and frozen frown, 'You really need help.'

* * *

Gwen Wickiton. Why her, of all people? Jenny had heard an interview with her on the news, where she spoke of her experiments, her discoveries, what she did with fish. Fish. Oh yes. They had been studying marine life in biology, and perhaps Gwen was the cheapest spokesperson they could find on the subject. How much did Gwen really know on the subject though, and did she really care? She did apparently want to make fish human, after all. Why someone would want to was anyone's guess.

Still, she went to school that day like she usually did, carried the same backpack and books she usually did, and even wore the same t-shirt and jeans she usually did. If she put it in her mind that it was to be a normal day, then maybe Gwen would seem normal. First came the morning classes, where she would sit languidly until the teacher shut up. After a short period of having lunch and sitting languidly after the lunch was finished, it was time for her to go into the hall, and sit languidly some more until Gwen made her appearance.

Gwen looked more like she should be leading a sporting event then explaining biology, coming in wearing a white t-shirt and black skirt, blonde hair reaching to her shoulders. Still, she looked less obtrusive than Jenny had expected, considering she had heard stories that Gwen had done damage to her face after a failed experiment. As Gwen made her entrance, she had a radio play 'She Blinded Me With Science' at full blast, which brought a chuckle out of many of the students, with Jenny laughing at their laughter. People these days were too easily amused.

Still, as goofy as Gwen was going to pretend to be, Jenny would treat her like she would any teacher. As in, every word would be worth little, and she would do nothing but wait until it was over. That seemed an easy task at first; when Gwen brought in the pictures of fish, all she did was point at them, explaining fish and their anatomy, and what they use to survive, all that stuff. She attempted to add some flavour to it by hopping about like a hyperactive fairy, and that brought Jenny a smile, but likely not for the reason Gwen intended.

Then she spoke about sharks.

The words 'And now for sharks' seemed to give Jenny that little bit of energy, as if her ears were tuned to pick up those specific words. Would Gwen's next lecture give any indication about what happened on that night? Likely not, but Jenny still found her back straightening, her eyelids lifting, her brain fixed.

At first, Gwen began to list off the various types of sharks out there; the hammerhead, the bull shark, the great white, all showing off various images of the specimens. As the pictures were shown, Jenny imagined them swimming in the ocean, seeking their prey, and a spark of her childhood ignited a little.

'You know,' Gwen explained, 'it was believed that shark's cartilage would help cancer, but it was later found to have little effect. I remember at one time thinking that if I could make a shark human, it would make a person immune to cancer...'

Jenny raised her hand.

'You have a question?'

After sitting in silence for a second or two, Jenny lowered her hand. 'No.'

'Oh, come on.'

'No, no, it's okay.'

Gwen shook her head. 'And just when I thought one of you kids were actually eager to learn something.' Raising her head and facing the audience again, she smiled widely. 'That's why I enjoy studying fish. I think they have something to share.' Laughter came from some of the audience, which made Gwen bury her face in her palm.

'What are you?' said a guy from the back, 'The little mermaid?'

Gwen stood still, her twitching hand being the only sign of movement.

'Are you okay?' said Jenny, though she didn't know why she said it.

At Jenny's question, Gwen ran through the back door, her pictures, radio and aids left behind. Some people left, others laughed, and Jenny just sat there, her back still straight, raising an eyebrow. When everyone else began to leave, Jenny was just about to follow them, when she noticed something next to where Gwen had made her exit.

Wet footprints.

Frog footprints.


	5. Chapter 5

Following the little presentation, Gwen rested by the outside wall of the school, catching her breath. That comment, that stupid little remark by a stupid little kid, had forced those images from her nightmares to return, swarming and writhing in her cranium. Those stories of the severed tongue, of the rotting flesh and the lost love. She told herself it was not her mistake, but in her nightmares, she slipped into the skin of the perpetrator, that fateful night and that dastardly temptation being her doing. And what of those kids knew? They probably wouldn't understand it, but would rip her apart nonetheless.

As she walked back to her home, remembering what she left behind but still neglecting to fetch them, she pondered on what that comment had brought up. That sea-witch back then, that wasn't her. It may have been her own scales and blood, but it wasn't her. No, that was a primitive creature, an uncivilised idiot. Cutting off the tongue indeed! That shouldn't be what her kind should stand for. They weren't supposed to be storybook monsters, meant only to terrify. They should aid, help the innocent beings of the sea. Why? They deserved help, yet never seemed to get it when they needed it. So many wishes in their heads, never to be fulfilled.

Yes, they did deserve help, and Gwen believed people should get what they deserve. Some things under the ocean, for example, did not belong there. Some little guppy could have great ideas on how to change the world – Gwen did recall a rather lengthy conversation with one – and with her help, those ideas could be heard. On the other hand, there were some people on land who didn't deserve to be part of the dominant species. Just by looking at them, she knew some of those kids would never get anywhere; that one in the far left would be much happier as an oyster.

No, leave them how they are. If she did anything like that, she would be no better than her ancestor. Gwen chuckled to herself, partly at herself for her silly thoughts, and partly to make the weight on her gut slightly lighter. Those children or the nightmare images weren't worth dwelling on; the former wasn't her problem, and the latter would be forgotten with the arrival of her masterpiece. That. That machine. That what she should focus on.

Bothersome her doubts may have been, but they made the journey from the school to the beach go by somewhat faster. As soon as she chased away those past images, she noticed the murky novelty shops and the houses with dull brickwork, which calmed her somewhat. Just a few more steps to take and she found herself at the seaside, watching the water sliding off the thick brown surface under an empty sky.

Nobody was there. Good.

Not only was the scenery unspoiled by over-energetic brats and their obese guardians, but it meant she could return to her quarters.

From her skirt pocket, she unleashed a small remote control, resembling those used to open garage doors. After a single press and a little wait, her entrance appeared. A long, transparent tube rose from the sea, a kraken that devoured Gwen, sending her along her way.

As the tube retracted back into the ocean, Gwen dove back into her underwater mansion, Samson running up to greet her. Now that she was in the confines of her home, Gwen pressed another button on another remote to remove her disguise. Her green, scaly form, with the giant webbed ears and the wide feet that slapped on the floor, returned in all its glory. Samson seemed to perform a little dance to herald his master's true form returning, making Gwen pick him up and dance his dance, but only for a while.

There was little time for levity though, as there was still the finishing touches to be put on what would be her greatest work. Incomplete it might have been, but it still stood proudly over its creator, a gigantic, firm fish tank. Just a little more work, and it'll be ready to go. All those years of research, construction and positive thinking will all come together to bring birth to that brilliant behemoth.

Heh. Not only was she a great scientist, but also quite the poet.

Was there anything she couldn't do?

* * *

I've tried not thinking about Jenny or the night I met her; a hard task considering how many sharks I've met keep reminding me of it. Some days, her image does not penetrate my brain, and the day goes by quicker, more fish seem to arise, and the existence of the surface is pretty much forgotten. Other times, the sun sparkling and the thick ripples up there beckoning me. Is Jenny up there? Of course she is, but will she look for me?

I find myself poking my head out from time to time, usually seeing nothing but the seagulls flapping about. Sometimes I hear a boat roar by, where I will pop my head out instinctively and call for Jenny, though I know she won't understand me. Most of the boats are too high for me to see anyone anyway. Occasionally, I will set off for the nearest beach to observe the humans there. I recall one time I went there, and humans were everywhere, either relaxing or running...running...relaxing...but nowadays I rarely see any lifeforms. Once I peeked up and saw a man wondering about aimlessly – maybe we're not so different after all – and one night I saw a young couple – **LOVE** – sitting down, enjoying the ocean. More people probably came, but I have to keep moving.

No time to think. Just keep moving. Just keep eating.

Things need to be done quickly. Day comes and goes quickly, night comes and goes quickly, I'm not going to live very long. Gotta eat as much fish as I can. Gotta swim as fast as I can. Come on Derek. You can do it.

_That's the spirit._

I tried keeping these thoughts in my head for about a week or so, until, as it happens, I ran into Acacia. Who else?

'Hello, Derek,' she said, her smile smaller than usual.

I said nothing, I just swam next to her again as if that was greeting enough.

'You've been looking at the surface, haven't you?'

'No,no I haven't. No. What gave you that idea?'

'Harold told me he saw you. He thought it looked kinda creepy.'

'Okay, maybe I was...'

'You still want to be human.'

I attempted a smile as wide as hers as I chuckled a painful chuckle. To my surprise, she did as I did.

'Well, you're in luck. That nutter Gwen Wickiton has just what you need.'

The tone of her voice made me shudder, yet I still responded the way I did. 'She does?'

'Yes. She's recently completed a machine that makes fish human. Sounds like what you're after.'

Gwen Wickiton. I had heard about her and her experiments from word of mouth a few times. Sometimes I would hear my prey talk about her before they got devoured, sometimes I would hear about her from other sharks, and from those, I knew she was this...thing that would create all those weird machines. And those machines would always work. She said she would create a machine for reading emotions and she succeeded, so if she made a machine that she said could make fish human...

Acacia laughed again, though it was a deeper laugh than usual for her. 'You're actually seriously considering it, aren't you?'

_Indeed._

'And what if I am?'

'And what if you go in that machine, it doesn't work and you _die_ or something?'

'Well, what if it does work?'

Acacia sighed as she came closer to me. 'You think if you become human, you'll end up with that "Jenny"...'

'No,' I said, looking upwards, 'it has nothing to do with her.'

'What is it then?'

I spent a second looking upwards in silence before responding. 'Maybe I'm just bored being a shark.'

Acacia's pace lessened as she stared at me. I did as she did, staring at her while silent. She looked beautiful in this light.

'OK,' she said, 'you want to go be some test subject, fine. I'm not going to stop you.' She swam away quickly.

'Acacia!'

'You don't want to listen to me, so I won't bother with you.' And she faded into the murky blue of the ocean.

Why bother with her?

I'm sick of being a shark. Just swimming. Just eating. I've explored the ocean countless times, and it offers nothing new. There's a world up there with so much to do, with humans with purpose. And Jenny – oh, Jenny. She wouldn't judge me, no, she'd listen to what I had to say, and she'd understand it all. And the people up there...I'd be one of them. No gasps and shudders as I pass by. No running away to find cover. No, they'd look at me and Jenny passing by...

_I cannot believe this._

I didn't ask for your opinion.

_Just when I think Acacia and I have finally knocked some sense into you._

Look, I don't have to listen to you.

_Oh, you do. I'm what's keeping you alive._

You'd like to think that.

_Without me, you'd have starved to death years ago._

Don't flatter yourself.

_It's not my fault you take me for granted._

Just go.

_Heh._

I mean it. Just shut up.

Just...

I hear nothing.

That's right. Yeah, just go. And don't come back.

Without that voice bothering me, I set off on my own little quest. I would find Gwen's elusive mansion, and when I did, I would claim my reward. Legs to run with. Hands to touch with. A new world with new possibilities. The freedom to do as I please, no longer forced to endlessly hunt down tiny fish. I see those fish pass me by, but, without that bossy nitwit in my brain, they swim by safely. I have a more important task to complete, or, to use a groanworthy line, bigger fish to fry.

I had no idea what Gwen's home looked like, yet I told myself I would know it when I saw it. Sure enough, when I saw the stately, light-green house shielded by a dome, I knew instantly that it must belong to Gwen. Probably because of the drop in my stomach as I approached. I did not go near the mansion, yet I circled it as if ready to devour it, and the thought of fleeing and leaving it alone forever sparked a few times in my cranium.

But that didn't stop the tube from sucking me up.

* * *

Completion at last! Her treasure, her masterpiece now stood firm and finished. The gargantuan tank filled with water, fit to accommodate any sea creature of any size. And when the machine was activated, those sea creatures will transform into intelligent mammals, ready to enter a world with new possibilities to them.

All Gwen had to do was test it.

She could have tested it on herself. If she did, she would no longer have to rely on her technological disguises. Her scales would genuinely disappear to make way for soft flesh, her frog feet would shrink away into something that could fit in shoes, and her head would be adorned with lush, blonde hair. How could she change who she was though? How could she reduce herself to a lower level, forfeiting her ability to breathe underwater and communicate with the creatures below? She was a sea-witch and proud to be one, and had even made sure her machine would adhere to sea-witch traditions. When the fish would gain their feet, those feet would feel like they were being penetrated by knives, every step would sting. A small price to pay for a higher standard of life, but rules are rules.

No, she needed one fish, just one fish, to undergo the transformation. That creature would then be incorporated into the human world and Gwen would observe how it would cope. She was far too busy to search for the perfect subject herself, but she had known, since news of her accomplishment had spread everywhere, that a fish would come to her, seeking humanity.

That shark. He came for the machine, she just knew it. And what a perfect species! In seconds, she would reduce the mightiest predator of the sea into a meek little man. No longer would it devour innocent beings, exchanging those deadly hunts for paperwork and fatty foods.

As the shark plopped into the tank, Gwen darted for the lightswitch, blanketing the entire room in darkness. Holding a flashlight in one hand and a microphone into the over, she placed the light under her face, transforming her into a yellow wraith gleaming in the darkness.

'Hello,' she said, speaking into the microphone, 'I know what you've come for.'

'You do?'

'Yes,' she said, a Cheshire cat grin on her green face, 'You've come for my help, haven't you?'

'I have,' replied the shark, 'but can you please cut that out?'

Sighing, Gwen walked back over to the lightswitch, and illuminated the room once again. 'What's your name?'

'Derek.'

Snickering, Gwen added, 'You want to be human, am I right?'

After swimming in circles for a while, Derek responded, 'Yes.'

'Any particular reason why?'

Another bout of circling nothing before responding. 'Well,' he said, placing a fin to his teeth, 'I once met this girl...'

'Wait...did you save her from drowning?'

'Yes...'

'Jenny?'

'Yes! How...'

'I read it in the news,' replied Gwen, drumming her fingers over the machine's controls, 'I like it when they mention our brethren.'

Derek's swimming grew slower. 'Our...'

'Yes!' Gwen smiled that smile again as she rushed to the tank. 'Fellow sea creatures we are!'

A laugh squirmed out of Derek's mouth. 'Yes, but I don't want to be a "sea creature"...I'm sick and tired of doing nothing but killing fish, and being feared as this horrific predator. And there's...'

'So you really want it, do you? You really want...'

'Yes!'

'Just remember,' continued Gwen, raising her arms, 'when you get your feet, they'll bring _excruciating_ pain! You'll walk just fine, but it'll feel like you're stepping on pins.'

'I don't care if it feels like a harpoon,' Derek asserted, 'Physical pain is preferable to mental pain in my view, unless it were really BAD physical pain. Wait, no, there is no mental pain preferable to physical pain. Can't name any off the top of my head.'

'Very well,' said Gwen, still grinning and lurching in a vampire pose, 'But when your form becomes that of a human, you can _never_ be a shark again! You'll never swim alongside your brethren, never feel the thrill of the hunt, never dominate the ocean ever again!'

'YES!' he screamed, 'I want this!'

Gwen's wide smile shrunk to a slight, subtle one. 'Good.'

Slowly, she approached the control board, thrilling in the variety of colours and sounds. From a cupboard, she took out a petri dish of Great White Shark DNA and placed it in a slot. After that insertation, the machine made a bleep of satisfaction, drawing Gwen towards the lever.

All she had to do was pull it.

The tank began to glow a ghoulish white, accentuated by the sound of buzzing electricity. Derek gyrated and twisted as his form compressed and shrunk. Despite Derek's diminishing size, Gwen could still see his transformation up close, through a wide television screen on the wall. She saw that dorsal fin, that herald of incoming disaster, shrink away into nothing. She saw those rows of fangs slide back into the gums to make way for the newer, flatter teeth. That giant tail ripped itself apart, both pieces thickening as the dull grey skin brightened into a shade of peach. As the flatter teeth sprung, so did the ears and the nose, while jet-black hair slithered out of the cranium.

These sights sent Gwen into a fit of laughter, and brought her dancing and running about her laboratory. 'IT'S ALIVE!'

Another look at the screen showed that the gills were the last to go before the transformation was complete,and Gwen turned to see a young man, drowning in a giant tank of water.

'Or not.'


	6. Chapter 6

My body began to burn.

I've rarely ever seen fire and never touched it, but when my transformation begun, I knew what I felt was burning. Something erupted inside of me when the light appeared, engulfing my entire body. Whatever it was tugged at my every limb, my every appendage, stretching or compressing them as it saw fit. My general form may have been diminishing, but my fins elongated as if trying to escape from my form altogether. Something seemed to be devouring me – oh, cruel karma – as half of my tail was quickly eradicated. As I shrunk, the fire grew even fiercer and fiercer...

...until it was quickly extinguished.

Was it the water?

The water that I had once navigated through with ease now dominated me, holding me in its clutches, pushing me down to the darkness. Swim, Derek, swim, I told myself as I always did, but my fins were too lean to propel me, my tail had split into two. I clawed for the surface, reaching for the air the humans breathe, but I stayed where I was, floating above nothing. I closed my eyes, but the image of Acacia's toothy smile still lay before me. That smile, lined with those large teeth. Beneath those tiny eyes. What did I ever see in her?

Though maybe I should have listened...

I descended.

Upon this sinking, I moved my f...my arms and legs all the more, begging for the water to release me. And it had granted my request, as I noticed the water around me was shrinking away, disappearing back to the ocean where it belongs. More importantly, I had managed to reach its top, taking a gasp as I did so. A new kind of air, feeling...lighter than what I was used to. I savoured its presence, heavy breath after heavy breath.

Finally, the water had vanished, leaving me to plop onto the sleek surface. The first thing I felt when the water had subsided was a strong chill, giving me the temptation to clutch myself tightly. I did for a second, before I flicked away the wet hair – I HAVE HAIR – from my face in order to observe my new form while coughing out water. The first thing I saw was one of my new hands, wiggling about seemingly of its own will. I have seen hands before, those of humans sailing or trying to catch me, but seeing one up close made it seem so alien. These 'fingers' reminded me of octopus' tentacles, only shorter and more bent. But these weren't octopus', they were_ mine_, my fingers, my human fingers.

These long fins, these arms, I controlled them. This room did not give me much to do with them though, so I just used them to further observe my new form, feel my soft skin.

As I did, I looked down at the wet floor, peering at my reflection in one of the puddles. My head had narrowed into a thin lump, with a mess of tangled black on top. Those fangs with which I've grinded many fish into mere paste – all vanished, replaced by what look like rocks of some kind. Framing my head are these...ears...and when I notice their presence, I notice how quiet everything's gotten.

Still, I'm human. That's all that matters. No more hunting down defenceless things. No more being the killer of the deep. This was the beginning of a new life, a normal life. Yes, I'd just be an average person, immersed in the crowds, indistinguishable from anyone else. I'd walk with others of my kind, with Jenny, of course, by my side...

My hearing may have lessened, but I still hear a door opening, and turning around, I saw Gwen entering the tank, plopping something thick into my lap. It feels rough.

'YES!' she screamed, raising her arms up once again, 'It worked! I did it, I really did it!' With that, she unleashed a long, high-pitched laugh, leaping about the now-dry tank before turning back to me. 'Oh yeah, that's a towel, you dry yourself off with it.'

I did as she requested, rubbing off all the water from my human body, fully embracing the drier world. After rubbing off the last of the liquid, I stood. A loud 'OW!' came from my mouth as I noticed the stinging in my feet. It was like standing on a pufferfish. Still, painful feet are better than no feet at all.

Gwen stared at me as if obsessed with my new form. 'Well Derek,' the witch spoke, 'how do you like your humanity?'

I rushed up to Gwen and began to rapidly shake her hand while repeatedly saying 'Thank You!'

'You're welcome,' Gwen replied, 'You know, most of the time us sea-witches take away your voice, but I feel that you should share your views with other people. But before you go up to the surface, you'll have to stay here while I run some tests on you.'

My hand-shaking ceased. 'What kind of tests?' I asked.

'Just testing how much human knowledge you truly have,' Gwen explained, chuckling, 'I'm not going to _dissect_ you. I need to see if this experiment has been truly successful, so I just need to see if you can function in normal human society. First things first...'

After we left the tank, she fitted me with some clothes; a black t-shirt with a logo for something called 'Linkin Park', blues jeans to accentuate my new legs, and shoes that made the pain of my new feet subside somewhat. 'Well, aren't you quite the fashion model,' said Gwen. 'Come, let's see how much you really know.'

She ran the tests on me, the first being reading, where you pick up some paper which talks to you without talking. A series of books was given to me to flick through, starting from an extremely condensed story about a cat who wore a hat then moving on to longer things such as stories about time machines and pride and prejudice and the like. These books seemed to interest me, not only for the stories they told and the images they inserted in my mind, but for the fact I could do what no other shark did.

I also had to eat new forms of food as part of the tests. This was a particularly interesting test, as I could not believe the palette of tastes that my new taste buds could detect. Milk, bread, ice cream, chocolate, fruit, and even types of meat I had never devoured before. Imagine if sharks ate stuff like this instead of living prey! The ice cream in particular I favoured over all those fish. Could you eat ice cream underwater? If only I could recommend it to Acacia. Maybe it'd pick up her mood.

The least desirable of these tests, was a written test. Gwen gave me some questions I had to answer, ranging from simple to difficult, to test my intelligence. Like the books, the test spoke to me without speaking, but while the voices of the books were filled with vigour, this spoke with a monotone. This was_ definitely_ not as interesting as the other tests, so I'll spare you the details, but I admit it was a good idea to see if the machine had given me any decent human knowledge. It took an hour and a half, but Gwen did go eccentric when she graded me, even though I was average for a human. She later explained that it was because her experiments would blend in, even though they were a `little weird.'

It had been quite a few days of testing, but Gwen decided that I had completely become a normal human, ready to be integrated into the land above. I had to agree; after all, it must be true if that thing in my head had learned to shut up.

While I was having dinner with Gwen one night, I noticed a large picture on the wall, depicting something that looked like her, only with a long black robe, kneeling over a cauldron.

'I like that picture.' When I said that, she dropped her fork. 'Is that you?'

'No.' Gwen explained, 'It is my great grandmother, the most famous sea-witch of them all. She had no real name, most people just referred to her as `The Sea Witch'. She is well-known for transforming a hopeful mermaid into a human.'

I leaned in closer. 'What did she want to be human for?' I asked.

'To marry a prince. And to have an immortal soul. After meeting this prince, she came to my great-grandmother who did the deed, gave her sharp pains in her feet, like you and…' Gwen chuckled in a sinister manner. 'Cut off her tongue.'

I gasped at that statement.

'Don't worry Derek,' Gwen assured, 'I would never do that to you. Mermaid tongues sold a lot on the market those days, shark tongues are worth zilch. Anyway, after the transformation was complete, she met the prince, danced with him and tried to make him love her.'

'Did he?' I asked hopefully.

'No.' Gwen said quietly, a little sympathy in her voice, 'The prince was to marry another. The mermaid…died.'

I hung my head, recalling the fact that I had never seen a mermaid. Did they all end up like that one Gwen's great grandmother treated? What if Jenny was to fall in love with someone else?

'But,' Gwen cried, 'it has been my sworn duty as a sea-witch to make sure that the same thing never happens to another creature, especially not YOU. I like you. That's part of the reason I didn't cut your tongue off. But you'll still have excruciating pain in your feet. Rest assured,' she continued, leaping onto the table, 'you will NOT die. I will correct the mistakes of the past. You WILL have a happy ending.'

What could I do? I smiled.

'Anyway, tomorrow will be your first day at school.' Gwen declared. 'An ordinary human school, not a school of fish for your dinner,' she added, chuckling quietly. 'Then, then, I will see if my experiment has been a success.'

'What about...'

'Oh yes, it's the same school your Jenny goes to,' she said, lifting herself off of the table. 'I do fancy myself the matchmaker.'

Afterwards, I wore my new pyjamas and crept into bed. Oh yes, sleep. Those moments where my mind becomes completely empty to revitalize my form. Always so refreshing, yet I could barely sleep that night, as thoughts of socialising with Jenny swelled within my brain.

_Oh, be quiet, you pathetic human._

What?

Him.

Now it actually sounded like a person talking, rather than a thought. I swear I could see a giant shadow on the ceiling. A shark shadow. MY shadow.

_Thought you were rid of me, didn't you? _The shadow seemed to perfectly synchronise each word with its mouth. _I am __**YOU**__. I can never die._

No, no, I'm human now, I don't do that thing.

_You're going to enter a new world. A world full of such possibilities..._

I'm not...

_We'll start with that stupid witch. Give her a good cut to the jugular. Then we'll escape and we'll have such fun..._

**NO!**

Hopefully my new humanity will destroy this monster once and for all.


	7. Chapter 7

Sleep should be quick. Sleep should be empty.

The night before my first day at school, and not only did I spend most of it struggling to snooze, but the sleep I did get... I knew I was asleep because I felt nothing. While I didn't feel, however, I saw plenty. Well, I'm not sure what I saw, and I don't think I remember everything, but I know it was noteworthy. I recall seeing the ocean again, but only for a few fleeting seconds, and that was replaced by grey spirals, swirling and rocking about. More of those fanged grins. I did see Jenny though, only in short bursts, and I think she was...

'Wakey wakey!'

That surreal slideshow was brought to an abrupt halt as Gwen entered my bedroom, a plate of baked beans on toast resting in her webbed hand. Toast was a human food I had little fondness for, it reminded me of when I had fish's bones caught in my teeth, but I still gobbled it down, for fear of offending her. After I did, she grabbed me by the arm and slammed me down onto the floor.

'Gotta get up!' she said, leaping up and down, 'One thing to know about being a human is that success requires getting up early! I should know.'

After I got up on my feet, still feeling the sharp pain in my soles, I took a shower – strange how after living most of my life in water, this certain water could feel so refreshing – and dressed myself in the t-shirt, the jeans, the shoes. A quick look in the mirror just to check...yes. Just like anyone else I see on the surface. No dark shadow lurking in search of prey. A normal young man ready to just go to school.

_Yes._

After handing me a backpack and an apple ('Couldn't have become pet without one,' Gwen had said), Gwen took me to a tube, waiting for me next to a picture of a man with several arms. It devoured me. All of a sudden, I felt like I was swimming again, only I was doing it not of my will, being taken somewhere quickly by an unseen force. After looping and spinning and diving, I leapt out of the sea, and landed on the sand of the beach. Often had I seen this place, but had never actually been on it. The sand felt as the toast tasted, only colder, so I didn't want to sit among it for very long. I had school to get to, so I left the beach, and neared that town. It lacked the blues and greens of my old home, with no plantlife or little animals floating about; blocks of dark brown sat on a field of grey, all underneath a big mass of white. No sounds except for the wind and the seagull screeching.

My desire to explore this new world overpowering me, I ran towards that town, but that running subsided when I took a look at its contents. Those dull brown giants populating the place...they leered at me, groaning, as I passed, as if they knew what I had done.

_Typical._

You be quiet.

_How can I shut up after what you've got yourself into?_

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Acacia. No, it's not her, it's a fake, soft shark, looking at me through a wide window. It looks just like Acacia though, same grin, same eyes.

From my pocket, I take out the map Gwen printed out for me. The school isn't far from here. Just move pass these buildings- these smirking, creaking buildings – cross a road, with its roaring beasts darting past, and come to a place where I see people. All sorts of people. People walking past brighter buildings.

My victims.

My head throbs.

As those fierce vehicles subside, I walk across the road, my feet still stinging, and wave to one of the people – a rather portly person smaller than me. When he smiles and waves back, that throbbing in my cranium disappears. Planting myself into the morass of people entering the school – a huge lump coloured the same white as the sky – nobody looks at me. Just one of them. Good.

Just keep moving.

* * *

Jenny had started the morning listening to her grandpa talk about Gwen Wickiton – about the 'codswallop' she was talking about – but that was the only time that week she had thought of Gwen or slimy undersea thingies. Things had finally gotten round to going the way they should be going. Morning maths classes as usual. Numbers and fractions and the like. Still time for a bit of dawdling though.

After making sure she had all her textbooks and notepads for doodling on, she heard a bump and an 'OW!' behind her. Knowing she would have that miniature guilt if she passed by a fellow student in pain, she turned around to see a young man about her age, landed on his bum, rubbing his head. Though he was trying to get up himself, Jenny still approached him and gave him her hand. His eyes bulged as he landed on his feet, but he still chuckled afterwards.

'T-t-thank you,' he replied, clutching himself as if trying to keep warm.

'No problem,' said Jenny, smiling.

'Oh,' he replied, still fidgeting.

'What?'

'It's just...you reminded me of an old friend just then.'

'Did I?' Why not? It was still dawdling time, and it wasn't like there was anyone else to talk to. 'What was your old friend like?'

'Well,' replied the guy, giving himself a moment of pondering, 'she was interesting.'

'Oh,' said Jenny, walking beside him, 'So do you think I'm interesting?'

'Sure...I mean...well...'

Boys.

'Are you new here? I don't think...'

'Yeah, I'm new. I had to...relocate...because...I...my...wasn't happy where I was...'

'Don't we all feel like that?' replied Jenny, holding her head up to the ceiling as brief memories slipped through her brain. 'What's your name anyway?'

'My...Derek. My name's Derek.'

'Nice to meet you, Derek. I'm Jenny.'

Derek, of course, rubbed the back of his neck. 'It's nice to meet you too, Jenny...er...'

'Wel, I'd love to chat, but I've got biology to get to.'

'Oh, okay...I've got English...'

And the two departed.

* * *

While I entered the class shuddering, a small piece of energy also erupted inside me, as Jenny's 'Hello' echoed in my ears. I knew it. I knew she would accept me! As I looked for my seat, I thought on what we would do together now that I was free of the confines of the ocean and she knew who I was. Perhaps we could even go swimming together.

But Jenny wasn't here right now. Now I found myself in an 'English class'. Gwen had told me I would like it since I enjoyed reading all her books so much. As odd as it was looking at a piece of paper and having it speak to you without actually saying anything, the voices that entered my mind when reading those books were worth listening to. I began to shine a small bit of doubt on that philosophy though, when I noticed my fellow students seemingly ready to start dropping off.

_Just look at them, Derek. Sloppy, useless idiots. You'd be doing them a favour by offing them, won't you?_

Just as the temptation to yell at my inner killer crept up, the teacher entered. When I first saw him, I almost thought I was underwater again, as the man's face so resembled a swordfish. Did Gwen have other experiments?

I would like to say what the man said, but I cannot remember. His voice reminded me of the sounds my underwater victims made as I chewed them up, so I tried not to listen. I did, however, listen to the book he passed around: _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_. The book certainly spoke to me; I've felt alone as this 'Mr Utterson' has. Still, even with what Gwen apparently inserted into my brain, I found myself unable to understand some of the words.

And all the time I was staring at the book, the swordfish man seemed to be staring at me, one eye wider than the other, his wrinkles accentuated. The thought occurred that perhaps I should ask him why, but I know from experience that asking 'why' can lead to trouble. I once asked a fellow shark what he was up to, and it didn't end well.

Not having to move all the time now did give me some opportunities to relax, but all throughout that class, my new legs begged for me to move them. Lunchtime soon made its appearance though, and it was then I ran into Jenny again, sitting at the same table she was.

'Oh, fancy meeting you again,' said Jenny, raising her face from her half-eaten sandwich.

'Yeah,' I said, before I noticed what she was eating, 'Is that fish?'

'It's tuna,' she replied, which caused a slight grumble in my stomach, 'You want some?'

'No, just wondering.'

'Ah,' she said, taking another slow, meticulous bite, 'Enjoying your first day?'

'It's a little boring.'

Jenny chuckled. 'How interesting. Oh yeah, and did you know that water is wet?'

We laughed together. Laughter has been a sound that has stung in the past, but here, it seemed to remove that sting. 'Well, at least I'm doing something with my life.'

'Pfft. Doing something with your life is overrated.'

'Yes, I've found that doing nothing can feel quite good.'

'Yeah, that's true.'

Both of us continued our lunches, with me devouring my cucumber sandwich – average - and bar of chocolate – oh yes – stopping to chatter every so often. Until...

'Well, gotta go, Derek.'

'Nice talking to you.'

'You too. You're nice – which is more than can be said for most people around here.'

Once again I was reminded that my urge to keep on moving had been vanquished, as my body insisted on sitting where I was after Jenny departed. My stomach was usually so full of pricks and the huge weight of guilt, and that one closing comment from Jenny made all that vanish. Though for how long remains to be seen.

_That's right. You think that._

I continued to attend this school for the next few weeks. The lessons involved merely sitting, absorbing information, and then proving you absorbed that information. The information was usually worth absorbing though, but it is a shame these books can't be like television. When watching that box with the drawings that move, I am not tested afterwards. In fact, it usually clears my brain, and such a thing should be advised when mine is inhabited.

What I really came to school for was the lunchtime chats. Almost every lunchtime I would run into Jenny, and we would talk until it was time for more information absorbing. Most of the time, the conversations would be pleasant diversions; she would talk about her grandfather, her life and aspirations, and I would speak to her about my life and aspirations (sadly, I didn't have the grandfather to compare hers to). One day, she did mention Gwen...

'Have you heard about her, Derek?'

I chose not to respond, and instead munch on the cucumbers.

'Well, she came into this school one day, and geez, did she creep me out.'

I still chose to remain silent. I knew that not objecting would offend Gwen but objecting would offend Jenny, so I thought, since Gwen wouldn't likely know about this conversation, the best course of action was to say nothing.

'Well, aren't you going to say anything?'

'I don't really know what to say.'

'Hmm,' replied Jenny, and the rest of the lunch period continued in silence.

The next day though, Jenny asked me if, the day following, I would help her with something. An opportunity.

_Of course it is._


	8. Chapter 8

So Jenny had met a nice boy.

Doing so had been one of the items on the big list of things to do before going to university, her 'bucket list', but she didn't expect it to actually happen. She liked to think of herself as unattainable, independent. It's only boys without girlfriends that are pathetic. Girls without boyfriends are liberated.

Was Derek her boyfriend? Well, he was a boy, and he was a friend, but no, no. Just a chap to have a nice natter to just make the school day more bearable.

Still, she did take a little advantage of him. She requested that he come with her while she was babysitting Mrs. O' Peerin's child Lucy. Babysitting did give her that extra bit of cash for her CDs and various knick-knacks, but still. Having grown tired of that little brat...er...girl, she thought if she had someone else by her side, the task would become more tolerable. Derek was more than happy to come along, he said he would do anything.

So that Saturday night, while Mrs. O'Peerin was off to the cinema to forget her divorced husband, Jenny walked along to the house, Derek by her side.

'Are you sure you can handle this, Derek?'

'I'm pretty sure I've been through worse.'

'I thought you'd be good at this, since you are pretty much a big kid yourself.'

As they both entered Lucy O' Peerin's screaming caused Derek to jump, which was followed by him landing on the floor. That moment of physical comedy did end Lucy's cries, which were replaced by a small laugh.

'Do it again!' cried the kid.

Jenny rolled her eyes and decided Derek had the situation in hand. Lucy seemed to get along with Derek from what I could see, with him putting on her favourite 'Happy Green Dinosaur' DVD, and reading her a 'Happy Green Dinosaur' bedtime story.

'Happy Green Dinosaur'. Jenny sighed with relief that she no longer had to bother with that tripe, as she lay down on the couch and waited for the mother.

* * *

I pick up her favourite story: _Happy Green Dinosaur in the Cuddly Land of Kitties and Puppies_, and see it as what could have been.

I could have heard this story at bedtime. I could have had LOVING parents, reading this to me with a smile, and giving me a good-night kiss. But that could never be. I was born a predator, without the LOVING privileges of humanity.

As I began to read, I began to escape...

_I'm no longer in the bedroom, I'm with Happy Green Dinosaur in the Cuddly Land of Kitties and Puppies. I see bright sunshine, trees with lush green leaves and great big smiles and of course, pink kittens and brown dogs everywhere._

_Happy Green Dinosaur is there, as are his friends, the children from Fa-La-La Town, who are singing songs about how important it is to smile, be happy, eat greens and buy their merchandise._

_I want to stay here. I want to escape with Jenny here. Here, I am free. Here, there is no murder or nightmares, no voices bellowing in my head. Here, there is nothing but joy, an escape from the miserable reality._

_I walk, no, dance around this new place, my eyes greedily scrutinising this new world. I then run up to Happy Green Dinosaur, his eyes full of tenderness and LOVE._

_I say 'Hello.' He laughs with joy._

_He laughs with joy._

_Why does it sound so maniacal?_

_'Still dreaming about your perfect little wonderland, aren't you?' he questions, his voice now grisly and full of evil intent._

_He pounces on me, his eyes full of flame and his teeth jagged with thick saliva dribbling off them. He laughs another insane laugh before opening his massive jaws and swallowing me whole._

I bring myself back to reality, my face wet with tears.

* * *

Derek had seemed quite happy when Jenny had brought him here (and so was she as he was saving her a job) but he appeared to be crying after he had put Lucy to sleep.

'I just wanted a childhood like hers.' he told her through empty tears.

'Oh boy,' said Jenny, rolling her eyes, 'You sound like a Disney movie.'

Wiping away the tears, Derek turned back to Jenny, 'I'm sorry.'

'Let's just wait until Mrs. O'Peerin gets home, shall we?'

So they both sat on the couch, kicking their feet about in boredom, until Mrs. O'Peerin, that fat old woman, arrived and gave Jenny her payment. As Jenny gave Derek his cut, she asked, 'So I guess we're friends now.'

'I think we are.'

'So...maybe sometime you might like to come over?'

And he did.

When they were at Jenny's house, they watched a movie, the 60's Batman one. The two spent that time in unmoving silence, but there was this one scene that made Derek squirm. After playing _'Uninventive Game about Aliens: Part Deux', _where Jenny won merely because all Derek did was push the buttons without rhyme or reason,Jenny decided to ask Derek something she knew she was going to regret:

'Would you come with me to that dance on Friday?'

Derek's face adorned a large, almost disturbing grin at that moment. He immediately began crying out 'YES YES!' frantically, but soon calmed down, telling me he was going to ask her the same thing and that with her, he was more happy than he can ever remember being. He even joyously danced the way home.

Well, a date's a date.

The night of the dance came quickly, even with all the slow classes in between, and Jenny was ready. She wore a red, sparkling sleeveless dress, which was short enough so her legs would be visible. She had ditched the pony-tail, letting her long black hair flow in the wind. She had even applied some glitter to my hair, in hopes of looking more...bewitching.

Grandpa had given her a lift, and his old banger did nothing to diminish the compliments she received from the other students. She knew that would be the reaction, and so walked slowly to where Derek was waiting for eher.

Derek looked a little less attractive, only donning a short-sleeved blue shirt and smart black trousers, nervously sipping a coke.

'Hi, Derek.'

He said nothing, but Jenny still took his hand.

As she held his hand, adrenaline rushed through her veins. As the music played, the two took over the dance room floor, rapidly dancing like nobody's business. They held each other close as they twirled around the dance floor.

Derek said 'Ow.'

Still, Jenny chose to ignore that as she lead Derek through the crowds of people, knowing that the crowd would pay her more compliments. While Derek was jiggling about his legs in hopes of making something resembling a dance, Jenny helped him glide throughout the room, and soon, they became one. Just as Derek seemed to be tripping over again, Jenny caught him.

They ceased dancing, Jenny holding Derek in her arms.

Would they?

Oh yes.

Jenny saw Derek pucker up his lips, so she did too. They neared each other and...

He stopped.

'I'm sorry,' he said, giving Jenny a quick hug before bolting out of the hall.

Everybody stared in puzzlement.

Jenny ran after Derek, outside into the cold night air.

_What was with him?_ was the thought that kept repeating itself through her head.

_What was with him?_

She ran outside and when she saw Derek...

He was holding a broken bottle in his hand.


	9. Chapter 9

_Come on, Derek. Now's your chance. Kill that wretched girl._

The beast within me spoke once again. I saw his shadow form once more, only he was standing on his tail, as if it was a pair of legs and I could clearly see eyes and a mouth. I furiously shook my new fist at this shadow demon.

_Don't be angry at me. Just do what I say. Look at that bottle in that bin over there. Pick it up._

I shook my head at his orders.

_COME ON! _

I actually proceeded to do what he commanded that time, running up to the dustbin and picking up the bottle.

_Break the bottle._

With the bottle in my hand, I threw it to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

_KILL! _

I neared the building once more, broken bottle in hand.. But suddenly, Jenny ran up to me, shocked at what I was going to do. My intents to kill slowly faded as I saw her expression.

'No!' I told my dark half while throwing the bottle to the ground, 'I'm not your slave anymore.'

_Pussy. _

With that, the malevolent shadow morphed back into a regular human shadow.

'Derek,' Jenny crossed her arms. 'What the hell?'

'I…I…I'm sorry…'

Burying her face in her hand, Jenny snarled like…like a beast. 'Not only do you stand me up in front of everyone, you wave glass in my face!'

'No! You…' Her expression didn't change. I knew I was defeated.

I walked away from the dance, ashamed to show my face at that moment. The image of Jenny's snarl still in my mind, I sat down on the beach, watching the reflection of the moon on the rippling waves. The monster inside me was still here, mocking me and ordering me around.

During my short time as a human, it brought me more regret. Just because of my former species, I missed out on so many things. Why couldn't I have been born a human? Why did God make me a shark?

During my time on dry land, I had learned about the **LOVING** God humans worshipped. It had actually made me hopeful. I mean, I actually felt secure that there is someone who **LOVES** me, no matter what others think of me. And this God, he promised people to go to a better place when they die. I had actually prayed to him at times, asking Him if he would help me overcome the beast in my mind.

I remembered the sort of childhood little Lucy had led. She got cheery story-time books read to her, an entire room with innocent, childhood icons, and a **LOVING** mother. Why did she get a parent who **LOVED** her and wanted her to do good? I don't remember my parents.

If I had been this way my whole life, this vicious beast within me wouldn't even have had existed. I would have had a **LOVING** family, support and companionship from my fellow species and I wouldn't have held that bottle.

Yes, that would be perfect. I would have two kind and caring parents, a kind and beautiful mother to give me comfort when things go wrong, and a father who wanted nothing more than for me to make something of myself. I would play games with them, learn from them, give them presents and feel so lucky that I had a family. Also, perhaps I would have brothers and sisters to play with and help every day.

I could have had all that.

But I was merely transformed, and this monster still lived, more furious than ever. I thought that doing good would lessen his power but his echoing voice still remained in my head. Although I tried to ignore him, and didn't do as he said, my anger against him remained. But what if I someday succumb to him, and become a human shark? What if I become evil and terrifying and start murdering? And what about Jenny? Will she still accept me?

I just sat there on the beach, crying my eyes out, due to my thoughts. Crying lifted that weight, but only slightly. What lightened my spirits a little more was that somebody came up to me and said, 'Poor guy.' At least I got something I wanted.

I looked around the area. Good. The coast was clear. I got out of my pocket a small remote control. Pressing a noticeable button, the entrance to Gwen's home appeared out of the water. I travelled down the tube, and entered the house once again.

I smiled as I saw Gwen reclining on her couch, listening to music. As soon as she saw me, she turned off her music, smiled and asked how the dance was.

'It was going good,' I explained, 'until...until he spoke.'

Gwen's eyes bulged in terror. 'Who's he?'

I sighed. 'The voices. He told me to kill back when I was a shark, and he's still doing it now.'

'Oh dear.' Gwen told me, 'Derek, I need to tell you something.' Gwen stood up and started wandering around the room as she told me the news.

'You see Derek, humans have two sides to them, a good side and an evil side. For sharks, like you used to be, it's quite similar. Sharks are actually two people, one existing inside the mind, the dark side. Most sharks succumb to this side, hence their destructive nature.' She picked up a book, the one I had studied in English. 'This is similar to this story, in the sense that a person's dark side is a separate entity. Like Mr. Hyde was the embodiment of Dr. Jekyll's dark side, this creature inside you is the embodiment of your own dark side. All your evil and hatred, with a mind of its own. I thought I could destroy it by turning you into a human, Derek.'

'But,' I added, 'it just seems like he's become more furious at me.'

'And now,' Gwen continued, the trepidation in her voice increasing with each word she spoke, 'I think this could really ruin your chances with Jenny. You may die...just like...just like the mermaid.'

'So, is there anything I can do?' I asked.

'There are three choices, Derek.' Gwen explained, 'You can remain this way, trying to cope with this dark side, but chances are you will eventually succumb to him.' She then pointed to the machine that caused my transformation in the first place. 'Another option is, you could revert back to your original form. It's what the beast within you wants, and after you do it, he might be less frequent.'

**LOVE.**

I must remain human though.

'And my third choice?'

'I have a theory,' she replied, 'that it's more likely he can be defeated from the _inside_ rather than the _outside_.'

What did she mean?

'My ancestors,' she continued, 'researched shark's inner demons and used magic to enter shark's minds to fight them. Unfortunately, they later found out that these demons could only be defeated by their 'owners' in their dreams...and sharks can't sleep.

'Since I wanted to scientifically reproduce _every_ sea-witch ability, I started to work on 'Project Looking Glass'.'

Gwen sighed, holding up what looked like a blue headband. ' I invented this quite a while ago. 'The White Rabbit'. This machine will allow you to enter your own mind when you sleep so you could face your dark side head on. Since he is practically physical, you can fight him in your dreams, sorta like _Nightmare on Elm Street_. You may defeat him, you may not, but it may be the only way to be completely human.'

Completely human.

I imagined what it would be like if my dark side had been vanquished and I was a complete human being. I could finally win Jenny's heart, we would be an official couple, remembered throughout the ages, and perhaps…perhaps we could get married and be together for the rest of our lives. We would have children; not vicious shark children that would tear a man to shreds, but human children, eager to learn and be good citizens. I would have a **LOVING** family, the one I've always wanted. I would grow old with Jenny, and die a human being, the majority of my life spent not as a shark.

A goal I've always dreamed of obtaining.

'How do I defeat him?' I questioned.

'Resist the devil and he will flee from you!' Gwen cried, raising her webbed hand in the air, 'This demon in your mind is mental, so it cannot be harmed by physical have to stand up to it. However, since you are in its realm, it can kill you. If it looks like you're in trouble, I'll wake you up.'

'Don't.' I ordered, 'I have to defeat him tonight. If it looks like I'm in trouble, do something to help me out. Also, Gwen, why did you wait until now to tell me this?'

'I thought that your humanity could contain it at first.'

'And I don't really think this whole ordeal makes sense.'

'You're talking to a character from a fairy tale, Derek. I don't think anything makes sense anymore. Anyway, good luck.'

I thanked Gwen for caring.

I darted into my bed, attempting to get to sleep. When asleep, Gwen instructed, I would face my dark side, as I would be inside my mind. Soon my wish was granted. I fell into a deep sleep, and when I opened my eyes, I was...

I was there.

The sky was blanketed in dark grey clouds, with the low rumbling of thunder in the distance. The ground was of an even darker grey than the sky; it was dry, and was patterned with deep indentations. The only life in this barren waste were a few naked trees, which looked like...it can't be...they were screaming in pain; their 'arms' clenching their 'stomachs', their hollows shrieking. Harsh wind blew in my face as I further observed my dark side's domain, causing dust to dance in the air.

I turned around, and I saw a beautiful land which contrasted greatly with this dismal place. A light blue, cloudless sky with the sun grinning childishly. A beautiful emerald green field, where flowers peeked out from the long grass. But that lovely place was surrounded by a tall black iron fence. What was it?

_It's your domain, with all your naive fantasies. This place belongs to me._

I heard his voice yet again, yet he wasn't visible just yet. As I looked around for the source of the voice, I saw...

Jenny?

Jenny was there in the distance, her back turned to me. She was just standing there, looking at the clouds. I neared her cautiously and slowly. But just as I came close...

She burst into flames.

Burst into flames and disappeared.

_Poor Jenny..._

I turned around and saw him.

He almost looked like my old shark form. Same size, same shade of grey, same fin, same everything. But his eyes burnt. His pupil looked like a thin red fin, his sclera a vivid yellow. Those demonic eyes narrowed as he stared at me more, his mouth in an angry snarl.

_I've been waiting for this day for so long,_ he growled, saliva dripping from his mouth.

'Just leave me and Jenny alone!' I shouted at the beast I had waited so long to face.

_`I can't believe you, really I can't.'_ the demon continued, _`Most sharks would be happy about their species, while YOU become some guinea pig just to become a pathetic human! _With that, he whacked me with his tail, knocking me to the ground.

'Urm...er...h-humans are superior to sharks.'

He let out a loud laugh, one that echoed throughout the whole area.

_Haven't you looked around that school you've attended? Haven't you looked at all the lazy, worthless specimens watching the world go by? You want purpose, yet you also want to be like them?_

'Well?'

_You had a purpose, Derek. You were supposed to keep the fish population in check,make people less foolhardy about going into the deep. Now you just want to spend all your time watching television and playing video games. Acacia was right about you._

'There ARE good humans. I just thought I could be like the good ones, maybe.' I timidly spoke.

_FOOL! There are no good humans. The humans that claim they are good have evil intent locked away, which awaits freedom, and escapes. But who will save us from this evil? __**GOD?**__ No. God is a lie, fabricated by humanity. Evangelists and ministers alike gain so much income from the lie of God...they don't __**LOVE**__, they only want to exploit him. If God was real, why do we suffer? Why do __**YOU**__ suffer? Why were you born a shark, the species you hate? Humanity is not a species of love, so the lie of a God is useless. There is no heavenly force __**LOVING**__ you, Derek, forget those infantile promises._

_You want to destroy me to become completely human, to shed every iota of your former species. It's pointless. Useless. Unnecessary. Sharks are more civilised than those pathetic animals we call humans. We sharks have a reason to kill, to stay alive. Humans kill for no reason at all. They __**ENJOY**__ murder. Therefore, if you want to be human, you must __**LOVE**__ death. When somebody kills in a movie, the humans praise him as if he were their messiah. They even enjoy the many massacres sharks bring, it gives them entertainment. That's how you gain __**LOVE**__, by killing. The crowd will cheer!_

'No…'

The demon chuckled with glee.

_That's all you can say, isn't it? Why are you fighting?_

'Jenny…'

_You don't care about her. You just want her to be part of your little pity party so you can feel better about yourself. You're selfish, you're lazy…in fact, you are just like a human._

'No...'

_Forget it, Derek, you can't defeat me. You're still trapped in your happy little wonderland where you think all the mean baddies get defeated, and then you get everything you want, and everybody will **LOVE** and accept you. What tommyrot. This is the real world Derek. Not some happy-sappy fairytale where everything goes right and everybody's nice and happy. This is a world where murder is useful, sometimes even necessary. Nice guys finish last, you know._

With those last words, he darted right up to me and stared angrily at my face. He then swam through imaginary waters, darting towards me once again, which I dodged by the skin of my teeth. He still persevered to fight, darting towards me with his jaws wideo open. I got a close look at his teeth, which resembled drills rather than regular shark teeth. He swiped at me with one of his fins, which seemed to elongate as long as an arm.

_You think I'm going to kill you now, don't you Derek? Well, guess what, I'm not going to. Want to know why? I want to give you a second chance. Wake up, face reality. Tell that sea witch to turn you back into a shark. Return to your old life.'_

All of a sudden, the ground beneath me **EXPLODED**. I was thrown into the sky, falling, falling into a dark abyss...

Then I woke up.

I could still hear him...

_I only want what's best for you, Derek,_ he told me, _because I am you._


	10. Chapter 10

Gwen viewed the ferocious confrontation first-hand.

Using one of her mind-reading helmets, she saw what those two opposing sides were doing. Derek was frightened of this beastly creature, actually upset by the words he spoke of. The Dark Side, 'Evil Derek' for lack of a better name, actually had the upper hand. It was his domain, his arena, his world. Derek didn't stand a ghost of a chance.

As she viewed the clash of the titans, she hung her head, shaking it slowly. She had turned Derek human, and he had just entered this battle to become more human, for happiness, for love. It was Gwen's experiments had made Derek's vicious alter ego more feral, and therefore more powerful. Derek's new form was more lax than his previous, which almost guaranteed death.

If the former shark was to die, Gwen would be to blame. She actually thought he could control it. She had helped the darkness of Derek's soul gain victory.

How could she have been so _stupid_...

Samson approached her on those little mechanical legs of his, his head held high in hopes his mother would do the same. All he got in response was to be batted away by a webbed hand.

Gwen's thoughts during the fight made her remember her nightmares, her doubts, her great grandmother. She was remembered as one of the greatest sea-witches of all time. This was because of the time she made a mermaid human to help her gain love, and an immortal soul.

Gwen was told the whole story when I was young. Stories like those were to help me be proud of my sea-witch heritage, and to influence me to do similar things. This certain story was to remind her that sea-witches always put a price on our spells and 'experiments'.

Ever since she heard about that experiment, the same image played through her mind throughout the years.

_A beautiful human, once a mermaid, stood on the ship, remembering the magnificent, jubilant time she had first become human. Now she was going to lose her life at the first ray of sunlight. She stared into the sky, awaiting the sunrise, knowing that she was doomed to never have the soul she had wanted._

_Her beloved prince had enjoyed the wedding, and his bride. They had danced the night away, having the time of their lives, neither of them giving a single thought towards the mermaid. Was this her reward for saving the princes life?_

_The former mermaid then saw her sisters rising out of the ocean. Their hair once waved in the wind, but now it had been cut short. They gave her a knife, and a reason to use it. If she was to survive, she had to murder the prince she had admired, thrusting the knife into his heart. She would revert to her original form, and continue her original 300 year lifespan. This information was courtesy of the Sea-Witch, who had cut the hair as payment._

_The former mermaid entered the prince's sleeping quarters, laying eyes on who she thought was her true love. She kissed his forehead, and stared at the sky one more time to remind her that time was running out. She heard the prince mention his wife's name in his sleep, which should have fuelled her anger. She rose the knife in the air, ready to kill._

_No._

_She wasn't going to murder the one she loved, even if it was to prolong her underwater life. She darted outside, and threw the knife into the ocean. She sighed, and threw herself in the ocean with it, her body slowly disintegrating._

NO.

Gwen wasn't going to let that happen to Derek. She just didn't want him to die like the mermaid, hopes of gaining love lost forever. Her great grandmother had actually done something in hopes of preventing the mermaid's death, something to help her.

She took off her helmet and paced about the room, pondering on a plan.

Jenny.

She was the one Derek loved, the figure that made Derek love humanity. Her presence and support would build Derek's confidence, hopefully enough to make him overpower his dark side.

But then she remembered the Sea-Witch Rules. Didn't it forbid revealing the sea-witch species? She picked up the book again, and was relieved when she reminded myself of Rule 34:

'**A Sea-Witch must not reveal herself to a human, UNLESS IT IS NECESSARY.'**

Clearing up the questions Jenny undoubtedly held in her mind, which would help her understand why she must save Derek, seemed necessary to Gwen. This might also cause Jenny to love Derek more, as it would give her a better understanding of his emotions. Derek wrote down her address, so Gwen knew where I was going to find her. With this idea, Gwen ran to Derek, awake after facing the vicious fiend, and told him to wait.


	11. Chapter 11

Jenny walked back home, shuddering. The cold night breeze blew in her face, the leaves danced across the road, and the moon and stars were hardly noticeable due to the grey clouds. And she had to walk through this night by herself.

That Derek. Just when you think you know someone. A broken bottle.

As she approached her house, she froze with fear. Gwen, wearing a trench coat and shuddering, was standing right on Jenny's lawn. Jenny slowly backed away from Gwen, but Gwen approached Jenny at the same speed.

'Derek is in trouble.' were her first words.

All Jenny could do was say nothing.

'Follow me.' She then proceeded to run, and Jenny decided to follow her. Maybe she'd find out what was with Derek, and maybe really give him a piece of her mind

The two abruptly stopped at the beach, with Jenny standing in puzzlement. Gwen pressed a button on a remote control she obtained from her pocket, and a tube with a door rose from the ocean. Just as Jenny turned around, she and Gwen spiralled down into the mansion.

Jenny stumbled about a place that looked exactly how she'd picture a mad scientist's laboratory. Test tubes, huge machinery, a giant picture of 'Vitruvian Man' occupying a wall and a vast bookcase as wide as the eye could see. The walls were dark blue, the colour of the sea and the floor looked like a chessboard. She even saw Derek sitting on a chair, looking like he was trying to keep awake.

'Derek!' Jenny yelled, springing him to life.

'Jenny!'

'What is this?'

Gwen stared at Jenny, telling her she was about to take off her disguise and to close my eyes until she tells me to open them. Disguise? Jenny did as Gwen said, and when instructed to open her eyes, she leapt backwards.

Gwen was a horrific alien creature. She was bald, covered with green scales, and had two nostrils instead of a nose. Her hands and feet were webbed and instead of ears, she had two large gills growing out of her head like hands that wanted to hug.

'Before we talk about Derek,' Jenny asked, quivering, 'what are you?'

Gwen raised her fist in the air with pride, and told me, 'I…am a sea-witch!'

Makes sense.

'Anyway,' she continued, 'Derek is NOT human. He was the first victim of my fish-to-human experiment.'

The more Jenny stood in this room, the more she began to believe what was occurring. Well, it was better than just sitting home watching TV all day.

'What fish was he previously?'

'A shark.'

Great. More sharks.

'The very shark that saved you from drowning.'

'Okay, that's it! I'm out of here!'

'Don't be like that! You gotta appreciate a boy that'd undergo a potentially dangerous experiment for you.' Jenny turned back. 'Anyway, Derek didn't want to be a shark. He thought that sharks had no purpose, and were supposed to be a vicious brutish species when he was trying to be good. He had no companionship from his fellow species, and wanted love more than anything. He thought that being human would help him find love and to make up for his past misdeeds.'

Jenny snickered. She couldn't believe that there were actually sharks that were kindly people underneath, like in stupid Saturday morning cartoons.

'Derek has a dark side.' Gwen continued, 'A mental monster, instructing him to kill. The whole reason sharks are killers.'

Jenny stood upright when she heard that sentence. Was she really supposed to believe that sharks are predators _because they were schizophrenic?_

'It's the reason I brought you here.' Gwen sighed, 'Derek's dark side is more than just a figment of his imagination. He's a separate entity, and he wants Derek to become a shark again. Derek wants to battle this creature in his dreams to become completely human, for you.'

Jenny laughed. How many movies was she going to have to live through?

Gwen instructed that she should go into Derek's dream, to remind him of his love for her, which could help him fight his mental beast, and to help him battle. Apparently, it couldn't be beat by physical attacks, so Jenny and Derek had to stand up to it to defeat it. Jenny had to wear one of her 'psychic helmets' (apparently sea-witches have psychic powers) and read Derek's mind until her 'essence' was transported there; it was a special mode for the helmets. Gwen had her own helmet so she could see what was happening. If it looked like Jenny was in trouble, she would 'reverse the polarity' (Jenny had heard that phrase so many times but I never expected to hear someone say it in real life) to get her out.

Most people would have run away as fast as they could if they were offered to battle a demonic shark that lived inside somebody's brain.

Jenny tried doing just that.

Jenny ran to the door, banging it with all her might, desperately wanting to open it and escape from this nuthouse. But the door was locked.

'I thought you'd try something like that,' Gwen explained, 'so I locked the door. NOW YOU _HAVE_ TO FIGHT THE DARK SIDE! MUA HA HA HA HA HA HA!'

After burying her face in her hands at Gwen's remark, Jenny turned to the shuddering Derek. That Derek. The same one who sat with her during lunchtime and listened to her.

'Fine.'

When Derek went to bed and slept, Jenny donned the helmet, turned towards Derek, twitching and rolling around in his sleep, and switched the machine on.

Then the world went twisted.

Jenny found herself standing on dry, grey land, in a lifeless place which no human should really be in. She saw Derek, wearing his regular Linkin Park get up and a flying shark with eyes like those of a snake. The shark was darting and surveying Derek, but Jenny neared the shark, and slugged him behind his back.

The beastly shark stared at her, eye-to eye. Given the choice between Gwen and this thing, Jenny would definitely pick Gwen.

_Well, well, well,_ he hissed, _if it isn't Derek's girlfriend! _The shark actually smiled, revealing his drill-like teeth. Jenny stood still, as nothing but gibberish escaped her mouth. _Just the response I was expecting._

'Leave...leave...Derek alone...' Jenny stuttered, trying to sound brave.

_YOU can't defeat me, human. I'm at the top of the food chain, while you're just a slob. Why did you come here? Haven't you given Derek enough trouble?_

Jenny punched him again, this time in the face, without effort, but he just laughed as if she were just a joke.

'Leave her alone!'

That was the sound of Derek.

_So, you're actually standing up to me because I'm threatening your little girlfriend?_

'Yes. Don't try to urge me to kill. I'm not your slave. I'm not your servant. I'm not afraid of you! I don't have to do what you say **anymore!**'

The mental shark growled furiously, before laughing softly.

_Impressive. You really have learned something, haven't you? But you still haven't won. I still hold the aces around here...'_

His sinister abilities were shown once again as he raised his fin in the air triumphantly, causing living human skeletonsto burst through the ground. They were horrific undead creatures, with moldering yellow bones. Their eyeballs were still in their sockets, and all of them had the same teeth as the demon shark. The skeletons held Jenny in their arms, squeezing her. They were surprisingly strong for creatures without muscles.

'What are you doing to Jenny?' Derek questioned.

_What do you think?_

'GWEN!' I screamed. At that moment, Jenny felt like something was trying to pull me out of this nightmare, but the henchmen of Derek's evil power held her as if she was a teddy bear, their feet becoming roots that clung deep into the ground.

'LET HER GO!' Derek cried, stamping his foot on the ground.

_No. I'm going to kill her. If you try to rebuke me... _In a cartoon fashion, an anvil fell from the sky in Jenny's direction. It stopped just before it would hit her then rose back into the air. _Just think, Derek. I can kill her and it will be all your fault. You'll have her lie on your conscience for the rest of your life. Not some insignificant fish, the person you apparently LOVE. I like that word. _Derek said nothing.

_Or, _he continued, _you could tell your scaly friend out there to turn you back into a shark. If you do, you probably won't be loved but I'll leave you alone, scout's honour. But if you even THINK about being human again, I'll be back._

Jenny turned to Derek's direction, too frightened to speak.

'No.' Derek sighed.

_So what's it going to be?_

'Take me instead.'

'What?' cried Jenny.

_You don't know what you're doing._

'I said, take me instead. I know you want to do it.'

The mental skeletons immediately released Jenny, and wrapped Derek in their clutches.

'No, Derek, don't.'

Derek said nothing in reply to Jenny's protests. As the skeletons leered at him in their grasp, the flying shark turned to Jenny. _I'll have _his_ death lie on _your_ conscience instead. _

In a second, Jenny returned to Gwen's laboratory.


	12. Chapter 12

She had failed

She placed the 'psychic helmet' on a table and stared at where Derek was. His body lay there, unmoving.

'Derek.' was all she managed to say.

Well, at least that vicious, demonic side of him was gone as well.

The body came to life.

It turned around, grinning a vicious grin and laughed.

He laughed at her.

It was _him_.

Of course, Jenny shuddered in the corner, expecting the beast to rip her head off, but...

He walked away.

She followed him into Gwen's kitchen, and saw him holding a sharp gleaming knife. Stopping in her tracks, Jenny waited for him to use that knife against her, but he did...something else...

'**YOUR BOYFRIEND IS DEAD YOU HUMAN SCUM.'**

Those were his parting words.

He shoved the knife into his own heart, and died right in front of her.

As he fell to the floor, blood staining the checkerboard pattern, Jenny stood with wide eyes, tears dripping down her cheeks.

This mess was all because he had been born a shark. He probably would have been happier if he had been born human, or even if he had been born a mouse or a rabbit. Maybe he should have been born a rabbit. He'd be cuter.

That schizophrenic shark. That experiment of an insane green alien. The puppet of a demonic monster. It had entered her school, spoke with her, befriended her. And she had watched him die.

An eel with mechanical legs entered, and Jenny was not surprised at all. It stared for a while before exiting. Yes.

As Jenny tortured herself with her many thoughts, she heard the loud, furious sounds of breaking glass in the other room. Instantly running to the source of the noise, Jenny saw Gwen, doing everything in her power to destroy the machine which had caused Derek's transformation. She was screaming and shouting angrily, her insanity showing once more.

She turned towards Jenny, calming down and wrapping her scaly arms around the young woman. Her face was wet with tears, which made her scales shimmer in the light.

Gwen explained to Jenny that she was getting letters telling her to shut down the fish-to-human project. Many had bought her machines, but the fish who became humans were too 'inhuman' and did such acts as stealing fish food, attempting to perform tricks, staring at opening and closing chests, and trying to return to the sea, causing them to die. Many people were also accusing Gwen of 'meddling in God's domain'. Gwen told Jenny she wanted to destroy all traces of the experiment.

'I see,' was Jenny's only response.

'I suppose you want to go home now,' said Gwen. 'The tube's over there.

Jenny neared the tube, leaving Gwen to think about what she had brought upon Derek and others of 'his kind'. As Jenny spiralled through the passageway, she swore she could have heard, 'I may have failed this time, but the great Gwen Wickiton will always bounce back! **MUA HA HA HA HA HA**!'

After a frantic ride, Jenny plopped back on the beach, feeling the sand crunch under her shoes. As she walked home, facing the cold breezes blowing in my face once again, she began to wonder if there was anything _positive_ about Derek's demise. Dying a human was part of his dream, Jenny though. Maybe he wanted to die with her love, as he was afraid she may pick someone over him. It was his own choice too. He asked the dark side to do it and he got it. He got what he wanted. He won.

Jenny's constant thoughts concerning Derek and his untimely death caused her to have a hard time getting to sleep that night. There was an entire mixture of emotions circling within her gut. Emotions of regret that she was not able to save Derek, emotions of content that Derek actually wanted to die at that time, emotions of pity towards Gwen and her lunacy, emotions of _pure hatred _for the wicked mental beast in Derek's mind and emotions of confusion, as she still can't believe that my boyfriend was a fish.

She didn't usually pray at night...but...

'Lord, if you're there...please...take pity on Derek...he...he...'

Jenny chuckled at herself. Just don't think about it. It was all a bad dream.

As Jenny struggled to get to sleep, my windows suddenly blew open, despite the fact that they were locked. A sudden chill ran down her spine. More of this supernatural crap?

She walked to the window where the air was blowing, feeling like she had entered a scene in Wuthering Heights. Staring at the night-time environment, she let the air wash over it. It seemed to wipe away her guilt, her anger, her pain.

A transparent, gauzy shark floated outside her window. Derek, in his true form. Jenny stared into his ghostly eyes, which seemed to show compassion and sympathy rather than pure killer instinct. Sge tried to reach out to hug him, but could not touch him, for he was a 'son of the air'.

'I love you.' I let out, not thinking of anything else to say.

He only spoke four words to me: 'I love you too.' Then he vanished.


End file.
